Taking Courses In a Finnish University
A Fulbright U.S. student grantee can enroll in a degree program as a non-degree student.
The aim of a non-degree student (or sometimes referred to as a visiting student) is to complete a set of graduate-level courses but not to complete a full degree. Well-justified undergraduate-level courses may also be accepted.
Please note that some Finnish universities may require the candidate to be registered with a college/university in their home country and able to transfer the Finnish course credits to their home university degree.
Finnish universities can have specific application procedures and deadlines also for non-degree or visiting students who wish to take courses at the university. Find out your possibility for non-degree studies as well as the university application procedure and the deadlines by contacting directly the university international office. For example, the University of Helsinki has specific application deadlines also for visiting students.
Please pass on the Information on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website for your university contact person when arranging the affiliation.
Tentative course plan
If you wish to take courses in a Finnish university, include a tentative course plan for the Fulbright period in Finland. Contact the university (and correct school/faculty) for information on available courses (taught in English).
Letter of affiliation instructions
Attach a letter of affiliation from your host university which explains their willingness to host you and comments on your possibilities to do coursework at their campus. The purpose of the letter is to have your host university confirmation on the feasibility of your proposal and to make sure that you can carry out your study plan described in the Fulbright application.
As mentioned above, Finnish universities can have specific application procedures and deadlines also for non-degree or visiting students who wish to take courses at the university. If the university requires you to submit a non-degree/visiting student application in order to take courses, submit the application as early as allowed by the university schedules and attach the university admission letter or verification of submitted application (if the application period is after Fulbright deadline) with your Fulbright application. If you are able to submit the university application only after the Fulbright deadline due to the university admission schedule, explain clearly the university application schedule in your Fulbright application and submit the university application as soon as the application period opens.
NOTE: Candidate wishing to conduct research in addition to course work, must also provide documentation mentioned in the Pursuing research in Finland section.
Student benefits
Student benefits for Bachelor’s and Master’s level students include considerable discounts on buses, trains, and campus cafeterias. If you are registered as a doctoral student in a Finnish university, your student benefits will be very limited. Check with your host university international office your rights for different benefits as a non-degree student.
